10 Monday Aug 2020
Posted in Musica
Pop powerhouse princess Alice Chater releases her new 5 track EP ‘Aries’.
Tracklist:
1.Two Of Us
2.Fix This
3.Aries
4.Pretty In Pink
5.Lola (Iggy Azalea & Alice Chater)
OVERALL RATING
4 stars
10 Monday Aug 2020
After four singles, singer KIMMUSEUM has released his first mini-album, “281.31km EP,”.
Tracklist:
1.281.31km (To.)
2.B U R G U N D Y (Feat. Dohwasal)
3.Today Was Good ? (Feat. LUXURY VILLA)
4.To You Who Can’t Sleep (잠에 들지 못하는 그대에게)
5.Medicine (약) (Feat. Cobalt Brume)
6.Swinging Window, Be Swirling (흔들리는 창, 휘몰아치는)
7.281.31km (From.)
OVERALL RATING
4 stars
10 Monday Aug 2020
My Little Thought Ep.01 (생각집 Ep.01) is a special limited edition album by Sandeul. It was released on August 5, 2020 with “Summer Day Summer Night” serving as the album’s title track.
Tracklist:
1.”Summer Day Summer Night (여름날 여름밤)”
2.”Letter (편지)”
3.”Smile Box (작은 상자)”
4.”Lazy Me (게으른 나)”
5.”Thank You (고마워)”
OVERALL RATING
4 stars
10 Monday Aug 2020
W.A.Y (雨) (an acronym for Where Are You) is the second special album by ENOi. It was released on August 8, 2020 with “W.A.Y” serving as the album’s title track.
Tracklist:
1.”Bloom (Remastered)”
2.”For Flower Bud (雨)”
3.”W.A.Y (Where Are You)”
4.”Wish (Be My Love)”
OVERALL RATING
4 stars
10 Monday Aug 2020
“Our Beloved BoA #2” is the digital single by BOL4. Is the second release of STATION’s 20th anniversary project for BoA.
Release Date: 2020.08.07
Tracklist:
01. 아틀란티스 소녀 (Atlantis Princess)
02. 아틀란티스 소녀 (Atlantis Princess) (Inst.)
OVERALL RATING
4 stars
10 Monday Aug 2020
Blue Punch is the third mini album by Rocket Punch. It was released on August 4, 2020 with “Juicy” serving as the title track.
Tracklist:
“Blue Punch”
“Juicy”
“Summer Punch!”
“One Summer Night (여름밤)”
“Twinkle Star”
“The The”
OVERALL RATING
4 stars
10 Monday Aug 2020
Posted in Musica
“Are You Listening” is the album by the singer Saskia Griffiths-Moore.
Tracklist:
01 – Are You Listening
02 – In Time
03 – These Hours
04 – The Presence
05 – Write Me a Song
06 – Best of You
07 – After
08 – Bring It Down
09 – Come Comfort Me
10 – Wash It Away
11 – Hallelujah
OVERALL RATING
4 stars
10 Monday Aug 2020
Posted in Musica
The incredibly difficult year that has been 2020 has brought with it discouragement after disappointment and an overall tense atmosphere. Thankfully, there is a small glimmer of hope with CCM veteran Rebecca St. James returning after a nine-year absence to release a six-song EP, titled Dawn. With such a large gap between proper albums, most artists would run the risk of starting over from scratch with their fan base, but due to her beloved status, her brothers’ band for KING & COUNTRY’s grip on the genre, and the overall release timing, she seems poised to pick up some new fans of the modern worship genre. However, longtime fans of her earlier alt/rock, EDM, and pop/rock eras may find themselves out in the cold longing for yesteryear.
After a brief prelude eases the album open, St. James wades out into a mid-tempo groove on “Middle of the Fire” with a big assist from Bethel Music’s Josh Baldwin. The tune would be easy to hear coming from a for KING & COUNTRY album, crafted for immediate play on modern radio. The synth-pop “Ready for the Rain” is a modern sound, though Rebecca strays not from the album’s vertical lyric approach in which the album is firmly anchored. Regardless, it’s one of a few highlights. “Fall Back” slows things down with a simple and reassuring chorus, “With my hands high/My heart open wide/I fall back into the arms that hold the world/Into my fathers love/Like a child I come/I fall back.” Though it’s nothing that hasn’t been said before, it is an overall calming and pleasant track. The title track is probably this reviewer’s biggest standout as James is joined in duet by her little brother, Luke Smallbone, with the vocal blend proving a good match carried by a stirring string section and earnest lyrics of surrender. “The Battle Is The Lord’s” is the first single from the EP, but to this reviewer’s ears, it is only a middle-of-the-road tune (though the lyrical sentiment true).
In fact, the above criticism is the biggest gripe with this record. Though worship music is where St. James’ identity is strongest in this season of her life, some choices like auto-tune and a proclivity to co-write with genre contemporaries leave the album with a been-there-heard-that feel. That’s a real shame because Rebecca successfully transitioned from CCM pop, to alt rock, and pop rock before settling in this pop/worship groove. Perhaps a longer, and solo, gestational period devoid of those already pumping out similar sounding music would have helped the EP shine brighter. Further still, this may be one instance where an EP’s shorter tracklist did a disservice. Undoubtedly, filling out the album with a wider sonic palette with a nod to fans of her other musical directions would have give the album a greater memorable factor.
Unfortunately, though there were high expectations and a willingness to continue down the worship path with RSJ, Dawn comes and goes, largely falling victim to the glut of synth-based worship projects released before it. The production choice to obscure her voice on a few songs does add variety but just doesn’t quite match, leaving it a distraction. That’s not to say this isn’t a decent return; it simply falls short of what could have been. All things considered, it’s a good album, bordering on solid if you like the genre, and at the very least a welcome comeback from a beloved CCM voice. Whether the music is your cup of tea or not, it’s simply good to have Rebecca back releasing new music, and hopefully there is more to come.
Tracklist:
1.Prelude
2.Middle Of The Fire (feat. Josh Baldwin)
3.Ready For The Rain
4.Fall Back
5.Dawn (feat. Luke Smallbone)
6.The Battle Is The Lord’s (feat. Brandon Lake)
7.Alleluia Jesus
OVERALL RATING
3½ stars
10 Monday Aug 2020
“STAY HOME”. The first song title pretty much says it all. Who can forget those ominous two words when the pandemic hit? The first lyrics to hit on ZOMBIE-CHANG‘s fourth album are literally “WHERE IS MY TOILET PAPER”, which instantly brings back those memories of mass panic buying and toilet paper hoarding. The album title itself is a desperate cry “TAKE ME AWAY FROM TOKYO” from a young woman who yearns to be outside doing what she needs to do.
An album recorded over a series of weeks in isolation, originally called the “?” project, hits differently to anything that has come before from ZOMBIE-CHANG. It’s her hardest sounding beat wise, and also her most sobering. While there are definitely hints of her dry wit and humour, mostly its a reflection of the shit show that is 2020 and is her way of coping with the enormity of the situation.
A lot of the albums that have been inspired by COVID-19 and isolation have been very focused on the human emotions around it. ZOMBIE-CHANG opts for the mechanical, technological elements. (“We can be, online!”) Instead of giving us a series of beautiful (although there are definitely a few beautiful moments), introverted songs, she gives us cold, abrasive and mechanical (“ROCK SCISSORS PAPER“) sounding tracks. It’s a very unique take on the ‘isolation’ album, and often, like being in self isolation, there are moments where ZOMBIE-CHANG feels to have gone insane, as the album reaches its most amelodic, cold, digital moments. Hell, there’s moments that become undeniably frustrating and monotonous -see the track “RESPAWN” for example- which just make the album hit home that much harder. (It must be mentioned that there is one track that does offer some relief from the chaos, and that’s the calming, beautiful “GIANT PANDA“).
Because of the concept, the album really works best as a whole, which is an easy ask being it a focussed 32 minutes. Due to it’s nature, it’s also quite rough around the edges compared to previous ZOMBIE-CHANG works, but in a way, this really makes this one standout more. It gives the listener a reminder of ZOMBIE-CHANG’s freak folk origins too, which she has all but buried completely until now; so it’s nice to hear a bit of that side of her peeking through the cracks. It’s a dissonant work that will no doubt challenge some listeners wanting her more trademark sound. However, if you have the patience, it’s a truly rewarding and darkly comforting album. (SOURCE)
Tracklist:
1.Stay Home
2.Caffeine & Nicotine
3.Je ne sais pas
4.Rock Scissors Paper
5.Respawn
6.Snooze
7.Gold Trance
8.Take Me Away From Tokyo
9.Giant Panda
10.美しい愛の日々
OVERALL RATING
4 stars
10 Monday Aug 2020
Posted in Musica
Juicy is a soulful, sassy, dreamy album project created by singer Olivia Kuper Harris.
Tracklist:
01 – Lady
02 – Keep It Casual
03 – Secret Garden
04 – Juicy
05 – The Only Reason
06 – Sex & Marijuana (feat. Rituals of Mine)
07 – What It Do (feat. So-So Topic)
08 – Sticky Icky
09 – Candy Flippin’ Cocoa Puff (feat. Philip Lassiter)
10 – Oh Billy
11 – Burn This Bridge
12 – Check
13 – Stronger Than Me
14 – Like in the Movies
15 – Thankful
OVERALL RATING
3½ stars
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